By Burc Eruygur
ISTANBUL (AA) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Türkiye conveyed new proposals from Kyiv for negotiations, as the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which began in February 2022, continues.
“Recently the Turkish side … called straight from New York and said there are new proposals (from Ukraine) that they ask to consider for negotiations,” Putin said at a press conference following the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia.
Putin said he had expressed his willingness to engage in talks but claimed that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected the idea of negotiations the following day. He added that before moving forward with any proposal, Moscow must determine whether Ukraine genuinely wants negotiations.
Putin suggested that Ukraine’s reluctance to engage in talks stems from the implications of such negotiations, specifically the need to lift martial law and hold a presidential election.
The Russian president also referred to past negotiations in 2022, for which Türkiye had provided a platform, and claimed that a draft peace agreement had been reached at the time.
"We are grateful to the President of Türkiye, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who once provided us with a platform for negotiations with the Ukrainian delegation."
Neither Turkish nor Ukrainian officials have commented on Putin’s statements so far.